Changing battery/inside connectors

hi all

i am about to change all my connectors to bullet ones from tamiya, basically because tamiya keep failing on me!

any way is it ok to to put the on the batteries, and charger? im not sure if they can be soldeered but if yes is iytok to solder them the
bateries?

thanks alex

Yes yes yes. Though bullets arent that much of an improvement either. http://www.gimsonrobotics.com/shop_power-connectors.htmlhttp://www.gimsonrobotics.com/shop_p...onnectors.html :)

also i am soldering the speedo wires and other wires to create 4wd, but if i cant solder the wire, would it be ok i to use copper wire? as i find this easier to solder, it would of cause be covered. but like i say i have yet to try my first method of wire

thanks alex

Some types of wire are more difficult than others to solder.

Get some flux if you havent already.

Heres a guide that might help.
http://www.teamnovak.com/tech_info/how_to/solder/index.html#Anchor-ATTACHING-35326http://www.teamnovak.com/tech_info/h...-ATTACHING-353 26

thanks woody

i saw above that about splitting wire, if this proves difficult could i use this technique and on need to solder one wire to each motor terminal?

thanks alex

Yes.... Making A +1>Y from the wiring is probably easiest.

i think ill take the Y option , if i get it done today ill post some pics check ive got it right

thanks alex

just had a though on how to increase the speed of PR, could i just have two wheel drive and then have the other 2 wheels free wheeling? if yes would i need the other two wheels to be untapped? i.e. grub screws taken out

alex

Well 2wd might give you more speed you will probably have less torque.
And the idea about have the other 2 wheels free wheeling is useless because if i am right on what your thinking is just having all 4 drill in the robot and then just undoing the bolts on 2 and having the wheels spin freely . That is just wasted space and weight if you have the drill in you may aswell use them. If not just take out the 2 sets of drill you arent going to use and just put casters on the undersided

I dont see why youd want two wheel drive like that. Why should you get more speed?

well surly you should, instead of 4 motors running on 14.4v 2 are instead, there fore more for those wheels wont you?

alistair the thats also an option but it woud probably only be a tempoary thing

Nope. You do not understand the way that power is distributed in a parallel circuit. All four motors should get 14.4v. The overall current demands of the circuit may be higher leading to temporary voltage drops from the battery but nothing else. Theres a reason why others dont do as youre suggesting.

I like to use a mixture of ring crimp connectors with a bolt holding them together (just make sure that the bolt and connectors are insulated) or anderson connectors like the ones that ewan suggested for connections that shouldnt be permanent.

right, thanks ewan for straightening that out,

at the last event my battteries once chargered werent fully charged as i had to put them on again, is there anyway roung this?

thanks alex

also will a 2wd robot on 14.4v be faster than a 4wd? or would they be the same?

i apoligise if some has already hinted at this but just want to be sure:)

alex

Should be the same. If you use 4wd the robot will have more grip and should have more acceleration. And if you use 4 motors it will have more power.

i have in the past few days soldered the speedo wires to the motors, but stupidliy cut off the original red and black wires, and didint know which was pos or neg

any how thanks to some photos oi think i have it right, but will it do anything damage any components if i have got the wrong way around?

alex

I believe so - never done it myself (yet) but I think if you power up the speedos with reverse polarity its certainly not good for them. Not sure of the symptoms, but Im guessing probably the magic smoke :)

what so it will damage the speedos not the motors?

If its the leads from the speed controller to the motors it wont do any damage whatsoever. Your motors will simply rotate in a different direction. Best to test everything loosely (screw terminals or similar) to find out what connection combination gets the motors all going in the right direction (forwards, back, left, right all together when commanded) then solder everything when youve got it right.

(as long as you dont short the wires.. which would require some pretty twisted electrical logic)

Yeah if its the blue and yellow motor wires you cut off then it doesnt matter which way round the wires go, but if, as your last post says, the red and black battery wires are the ones you cut then making sure they are the right way round before applying power is important as having them the wrong way round will damage the speedos (at least, this is what Ive been told)

What controllers do you have? Might be worth doing a quick search for a picture of them on the internet or you should have a wiring diagram that came with your controller, just look where the wires are coming from on either.. simple!

Chris

I think that Alex has simply removed the original black and red wires from the drill motors.

@ Alex......If thats what you mean then you should have no problems apart from motors possibly turning in the wrong direction.

thanks for that everyone,

alex